


Unanswered Questions

by shana0809



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Gen, New York Islanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-10
Updated: 2013-12-10
Packaged: 2018-01-04 05:25:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1077049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shana0809/pseuds/shana0809
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tavares reflects on the Moulson trade</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unanswered Questions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ambitiouspants](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambitiouspants/gifts).



There are some things for which he'd never thought he'd have to prepare. Having one of his closest friends traded away is completely different from having _C_ pinned to his sweater.

He didn't think it would be. After all, this isn't the first year he's worn a letter. _Obviously_. But it is. It's just different now. Everyone is looking to him, taking their cues from him.

It feels more like he's losing a member of _his_ team, and not just a guy with which he plays. Or even a friend. He knows it's dumb. This isn't pond hockey. He didn't pick the guys on his team, but if he could have, he would have picked Matty. Maybe that's why this is so hard.

He feels responsible for the team. He's been getting ready to do the best he can for the team for years, but at the same time, it's smothering. It's like he's being split in two. He's so busy trying to deal with what all this means for the team that he doesn't have time to deal with being upset at having a good friend taken away. _For the good of the team._

When it comes to the press, he can't say much, expect what management is expecting him to say. They want to hear from the captain of the New York Islanders, not from John Tavares. Not from him. He's never felt like being the captain is a job until things like this. He can't say what he would have liked to say. Years ago, he could have gotten away with saying how much losing a friend sucks. At the same time, he's always known this is part of hockey, and that he's going to have to suck it up and deal.

It's a business, and everyone wants to win. Sacrifices have to be made and all of the bullshit they hear about these things. He just wasn't ready for it to hit so close to home. He wasn't ready to stand in front of all the press and management and team and talk _business_.

Matty's probably more than a little bit heartbroken at the news too. It would be hard not to be. This is their team. He knows Matty saw himself as part of the Islanders organization for years to come. He certainly did. All the hopes, dreams, and plans he made had Matty beside him. And they're not on the same team anymore. He won't hoist the Cup with Matty, not unless there's some miracle where the hockey gods take pity on him and bring Matty back to him.

He's fielded the beat reporters' questions and dealt with management before he manages to work up the nerve to actually call Matty. He can tell Matty is upset from his voice on the phone. But why wouldn't he be? His whole life is being uprooted. Who wouldn't be upset?

It's a life-changing event, it sucks, and he has no control over it at all, and it leaves Johnny unsure about what exactly he should say.

Matty doesn't want to hear how it's all going to be okay. He doesn't want Johnny telling him that it'll all work out. He doesn't want to hear that Johnny thinks he'll do great things for the Sabres. And Johnny doesn't want to say that anyway. He wants Matty to do great things with the Islanders. With him.

They'll be a time when all those words don't seem quite so out of place, quite so forced. A time when, as Matty's former captain, he can honestly wish his friend well.

Right now, he's going to work at being Matty's friend. And as a friend, he doesn't have a lot to say. It sucks. Matty know that. So he listens instead.

He listens and tries to balance the responsibilities of being a friend and captain in his head, tries to figure out the magic words that will make this better for Matty. Or for him.

How is he supposed to deal with this? How is he supposed to lead a team when he feels like he's spinning out of control, and management just traded his anchor away?

He can't ask Matty those things though. His friend has enough to worry about with a move, a new team, and a new city all looming in his immediate future.

Fini.

**Author's Note:**

> Million and one thanks to liroa15 for the beta.


End file.
